Pressure Sensitive
Author: Hathor
Feedback: ladyraistlin@hotmail.com
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Rating: R
Status: Complete
Category: Angst, First Time
Warning: Bad language
Spoilers: Bad language
Challenge Response
Date Uploaded: 2002-07-27 01:44:16
Archive: Area52, Alpha Gate
Special Notes:
Disclaimer: Sadly these characters are not mine, they belong to TPTB. But I like to play...
Author's Notes: Response to Alpha Gate Friday Night Fic Challenge #6. The challenge was "A little less conversation, a little more action." Many thanks go out to Michelle for her beta reading and suggestions. :)
Summary: A mistake on a mission causes a rise in tension between Jack and Daniel.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Pressure Sensitive ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"DUCK!" Daniel yelled as he half sprinted, half skidded around the corner of the corridor. Sam and Teal'c reacted by trying to cover themselves as Jack came barrelling around a moment later, wrapped his arms around Daniel and dived the two of them to the floor.
The explosion rocked the complex sending billows of hot dust down the maze of corridors and making the walls groan in protest. As the dust settled, Daniel coughed as his lungs became irritated, aware of Jack's weight pressing him into the floor.
"Getoffme..." he muttered. He felt half relieved and half strangely bereft when Jack rolled off him and onto the floor, the Colonel settling to stare upwards at the ceiling while he caught his breath. Daniel raised his face, took one look at the set of Jack's jaw and dropped his head down to thump onto his arms. Damnit, Jack was really pissed.
"Well, that's certainly one way to excavate the place," Sam said as she took Teal'c's proffered arm to help her to her feet. She smiled her thanks and looked over to her two prone team-mates.
"Indeed," Teal'c intoned. "This is not your usual finesse, DanielJackson." Daniel raised his head and looked up at them both with a dirt stained face.
"What happened to 'let's just have a look around'?" Sam enquired, ribbing Daniel lightly as she dusted herself down. Jack barked a sarcastic laugh and Daniel just groaned and sank his head back down onto his arms again.
It should have been such a simple mission consisting of a deserted planet with an abandoned temple whose walls were covered in Abydonian type script. With the added bonus of not a Gou'ald in sight. But heaven forbid it could be that easy! Daniel sighed deeply, trying to resist the urge to sneeze violently since it would only earn him a glare from Jack.
Jack rolled gracefully to his feet and grabbed Daniel by the arm, making the younger man scramble to his feet. "You and I are going to have a chat when we get back," he hissed into Daniel's ear. The archaeologist winced in response before shrugging out of Jack's touch.
Jack examined the rubble-blocked corridor and realised that they were never going to be able to break through the debris to see what was left standing, at least not without special equipment. Sweet. Sighing he motioned for the four of them to move out and back towards the Stargate. Well, this was going to make for a fun debriefing!
~~~~~~~~
General Hammond looked from Dr Jackson to Colonel O'Neill and back again, his amazement evident. "So, gentlemen, let me get this straight. You inadvertently BLEW UP the complex?"
"That's around about the long and the short of it General," Jack said crisply. Sam was trying desperately to keep a straight face and the usually stoic Jaffa was radiating quiet amusement. Daniel just looked miserable. Not only had all that knowledge been lost through his carelessness, but also he had almost got himself and Jack blown up in the process and nearly buried Sam and Teal'c alive. Not bad for a day's work.
The General sighed and decided to let them off the hook. "I am sure that all of us can learn the obvious lessons available from the outcome of this mission. Your reports are due on my desk by o-eight hundred tomorrow morning. Dismissed."
Daniel rose from his seat and began trudging his way back to his study. His depressed musings were broken a few yards from his door by the sudden clamping of Jack's hand around his right arm, propelling him forward. Jack herded Daniel into his study and then shut the door.
Daniel turned around, his temper getting the better of him. He was fed up of Jack treating him like a child. He was thirty-six years old and perfectly able to look after himself.
"Will you quit manhandling me Jack!"
"I will when you learn how to handle yourself!" came back an equally fuelled retort.
"It was a mistake, Jack. A damned mistake. I do make them on occasion you know."
Jack took two paces forward so that he crowded Daniel's personal space. Daniel wished he wouldn't do that, play the intimidation card of the big bad Colonel.
"I know you make mistakes, Daniel. Do you know why? It's because I'm forever having to pick up the goddamn pieces."
Daniel's eyes widened in shock and then darkened in a flare of anger. "That's bullshit Jack and you know it."
Jack's finger stabbed him in Daniel's breastbone, enunciating every word. "You almost got yourself killed!" Jack yelled. A strange part of Daniel's brain absently wondered how red a man's face could get before exploding. "You almost got us both killed!" Jack continued.
Daniel knocked Jack's finger away, his voice rising to match the other man's. "What do you want Jack? An apology written in blood? It was a fucking mistake! How was I to know that the altar was pressure sensitive and booby-trapped? I might be a genius but I'm not omnipotent."
"But you just had to go and find out!" Jack roared at him.
Anger tore through Daniel, his hands gesturing wildly as he spat, "That's because it's my goddamn job. Remember that Jack. My job. Finding out is what I do."
Jack tipped forward, his hands shoved into the pockets of his BDUs, his tone acidic. "You don't need to remind me Daniel, I can't forget because you never shut up going on about it."
"That's probably because you never listen, do you?" Unconsciously Daniel stepped up to Jack as he launched in with all metaphysical guns blazing, making Jack wonder whether he had crossed the line with his last comment. It seemed that Daniel certainly thought so. Fury and frustration were evident in the archaeologist's face. "So what am I to you Jack? Huh? Just an annoying voice in the background?"
"No!" Jack knew he had hurt Daniel with his comments but his anger was still too raw for him to retract any of them.
"Then what? A millstone around your neck? The poor civilian who doesn't know his ass from his Arabic!"
Jack's mouth dropped open as he realised he'd really fired Daniel up this time. But the younger man was still ploughing on. "If I am such a liability to you and the rest of team perhaps you would all be better off without me."
The threat in those words ignited something in Jack, making him lunge for Daniel. He pinned him against the desk, his hands clamped on the archaeologist's upper arms.
"You want to know what you are to me, Daniel?" Jack's voice was a low growl. Daniel blinked as he saw anger interlaced with what looked like desire in Jack's eyes. Daniel thought that he must be wrong, as usual. Jack was military and straight, just like him.
Jack's voice was lower than Daniel could ever remember, "Then I'll show you." Then suddenly Jack was kissing him roughly. There was nothing gentle or worshipping about the touch. It was claiming, possessive and anger driven. The sheer shock of the kiss, of feeling Jack's lips moving over his, numbed Daniel to the core. But his body seemed to have other ideas. His mouth opened under the incessant pressure from Jack's tongue as their hips came clashing together.
Suddenly Daniel's brain kicked in. How dare he? How could Jack come in here, yell at him, and then kiss him like that? Turning his world upside down in a moment. Complicating things, blurring the boundaries. Daniel shoved Jack hard, causing him to take a step back breaking the contact between.
"How dare you!" Daniel said, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.
To his defence, Jack looked stunned at what had just happened. Daniel didn't wait for the apology. "Get out," he said, voice rough with emotion. Jack internally winced at the words, still trying to work out what had just happened. Since when had he wanted to kiss Daniel like that? Long, hard and bruisingly?
Daniel turned his back on Jack and shuffled some papers on his desk, even though they were all blur as he tried to get his emotions under control. When he heard no movement from Jack, he looked over his shoulder.
"Daniel, we need..."
"I said get out."
Jack turned on his heel and left, slamming the door behind him echoing his confusion, frustration and downright terror. Daniel pulled his glasses off and sank down into his chair completely deflated. "Oh shit!" he muttered, this was now a whole different ball game.
~~~~~~~~
Jack was storming down the corridor, lost in a torrent of dark thoughts, when the dulcet tones of his 2IC reached his ears.
"Sir? Sir?" Sam said, jogging to catch up with him. He reluctantly slowed, trying not to grind his teeth in irritation at the unwelcome interruption.
"What can I do for you Carter?" he asked brusquely as she fell in beside him.
Sam looked back down the corridor and eyed Daniel's closed door with concern. "Is everything alright with Daniel?" Jack's glittering look made her take a couple of mental steps backward. Sam continued in a slightly softer tone. "You shouldn't be too hard on him sir, it was an accident after all. We all make them. Like on P3X-251."
Jack gave her a sharp look, his temper still not fully under control. He also hoped that it wasn't obvious to her that only a minute before he had been kissing their erudite team-mate. He could still taste Daniel in his mouth, and for some reason that angered him. "That wasn't my fault Carter. That was a case of a little less conversation..."
"And a little more action?" she finished for him. His mind gave him an uncalled for flashback to Daniel's study.
"I got us out of there in one piece. And that's beside the point," he snapped. "We are talking about Daniel's mistake here. Not me."
She frowned slightly, her loyalty to Daniel as a close friend causing her to speak up. "Permission to speak freely sir," she said stiffly. Jack stopped walking and sighed, waving his hand for her to go ahead. "What I want to know, sir, is why you hold Daniel to a higher standard then the rest of us? Are you harder on him than anyone else because he's a civilian? He's shown himself time and time again. Frankly sir, what the hell does he have to do to prove himself? You never used to treat him like this."
A treacherous image flashed through Jack's mind of just what Daniel could do to prove himself. He didn't know whether to hate himself or Daniel for it. Jack took one look at Carter and snarled. "Dismissed Major," and then stalked off down the corridor to wrestle with his own demons.
~~~~~~~~
Daniel had escaped from the mountain as soon as he had hit send on his report to the General. He needed time out, away from Jack, to let the anger subside and to process what had happened earlier on in the day. The two of them obviously had issues that went well beyond their fraying friendship. Daniel didn't know but he guessed he wasn't the only one who had been shocked by today's little foray into the realm of homosexuality. He also guessed that he was probably handling it slightly better than Jack.
Daniel pulled on his old jeans and a cream sweater and padded barefoot into the living room and poured himself a stiff drink. He watched the ice cubes dance around in the crystal glass and then knocked the drink back in one go. The scotch burned its way down his throat and fired into his stomach. It reminded him of Jack's kiss. Painful, yet strangely welcome in a masochistic kind of way.
The doorbell sounded causing him to look up sharply. He was only expecting one person to call on him tonight. Opening the door, Daniel felt an echo of his former anger at the sight of a somewhat agitated Jack outside.
"Ah Daniel," Jack flushed slightly, "We need to talk."
"Yathink?" came the sarcastic reply. Jack opened his mouth but then bit back his retort with monumental effort. The mimicry was somewhat deserved; he'd used that phrase on Daniel too often in the past few months.
Jack tried again. "Can I come in?"
Daniel shrugged and retreated back into his apartment, leaving Jack to find his own way in. Jack took a moment to compose his thoughts, his rehearsed speech running through his head, as he unlaced his shoes and hung up his leather jacket.
As he entered the living room he saw Daniel was sitting on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees, watching Jack intently before indicating for him to take the seat at the other end of the couch.
"You wanted to talk Jack, so let's talk."
Jack settled, took a deep breath and then looked at Daniel. "Did you enjoy it?" The words tumbled out betraying Jack's nerves. Daniel blinked rapidly. The question had not been the one he had expected. He felt his cheeks flush.
"I'm not sure", he replied honestly after a few moments. "It was a bit of a shock, Jack. It wasn't exactly a gentle way to announce you had feelings for me."
Jack's eyebrows shot up. "I have feelings for you?" he said incredulously.
Daniel blinked at him and his gaze slid to the wall for a moment before returning back to Jack. "Of course you do," he said frowning. "Why else would you have kissed me?"
They lapsed into silence with the question hanging between them. After a few moments of pulling at the fabric on the arm of the chair, Jack spoke again.
"Well, how was I to know I had feelings for you?" he said defensively.
"So you do!" Daniel exclaimed. Jack gave him a dark look. "And what? And that's my fault too?" Daniel said with slightly more venom than necessary.
"Yes! No! NO!" Jack scrubbed his face with hands. "I don't know. I don't have all the answers, Daniel."
"Neither do I Jack. I'm still angry with you." The younger man paused before continuing. "Although perhaps now I can understand your reaction a little more."
Jack looked at him through his fingers and groaned. "But still, you had no right to do what you did," Daniel said admonishingly.
"What kiss you?"
"No. Ripping me another for a simple mistake."
"So I did have a right to kiss you?"
"That's not what I said."
"But you implied it."
"And you're avoiding the issue!"
Daniel sighed and rose to pour himself another scotch, lifting a clean glass off the shelf in silent invitation to Jack, who nodded gratefully. When Daniel handed him the glass, Jack's hand curled around his wrist.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, pulling Daniel down to sit next to him. "I'll understand if you want to report me."
"What do you mean report you?" Daniel asked quietly, trying to sound calmer than he felt. He might be angry with his friend but not angry enough to destroy his career and potentially run the risk of Jack being sent to jail.
"You're not going to?" Jack asked.
"No!" was the emphatic response. "Jesus Jack, what kind of person do you think I am?" he said, sadness lacing his speech. He watched the relief sweep over Jack as the older man closed his eyes, resting his head on the back of the couch for a moment. He laid a hand on Daniel's leg.
"Thank you." Jack said sincerely before realising where his hand was. He snatched it back as if it were on fire.
Daniel got up and walked to the end of room to stare out of the window, nursing his drink, trying to work out when it was that it all started to go wrong. He hadn't realised how long he had been standing there until Jack's voice sounded just behind him.
"What's wrong with us Danny?" he said softly. "Why is it all falling apart?"
"I don't know Jack," he replied gently, his brow wrinkling into a frown as he looked down at the now empty glass. He could sense the other man moving closer to him.
"I want to touch you again, Daniel." Jack whispered, his voice low in Daniel's ear. "So help me god."
The younger man's hand, the one holding the scotch glass, began to shake slightly as the admission sent shivers down his spine combined with the effect of two shots of scotch. When he heard no reply, Jack's hand slid around Daniel's waist, pulling him closer. The glass slipped out of Daniel's hand, to bounce harmlessly onto the thick rug beneath his feet.
"Daniel, I'm sorry for what I said today," Jack said, murmuring the words into the younger man's neck. "But I'm not sorry for what I did. I want..." Jack's breath caught in his throat. "I want to show you..." he said gruffly.
He turned Daniel in his arms, noticing that the archaeologist was strung taut, whether with anger or expectation, Jack didn't know. Daniel's gaze was fixed on a bit of fluff on Jack's shirt, avoiding the smouldering brown eyes that were searching his face.
"Daniel?" came the soft question, this time asking for permission.
Slowly Daniel raised his eyes to Jack's, his hand trembling slightly as it wrapped around Jack's bicep. Desire warred with fear in his blue eyes. Daniel was surprised at how much he wanted to feel Jack's mouth on his again. To taste him once more.
Jack dipped his head, still watching Daniel's face for a sign to stop.
"You bastard!" Daniel whispered vehemently, before his other hand reached up and pulled on Jack's neck bringing the two of them together.
Their earlier kiss had been brutal and one sided, but this one was more passionate and sharing. Slow exploration rather than punishing possession. Everything that they could not vocalise they tried to convey in slow exploratory caresses.
Fire was pulsing through Jack's veins as he tried to come to terms with the fact that kissing Daniel was a powerful experience that stole the breath from his body. He had never thought of himself as being the kind of guy that liked other guys and he knew Daniel wasn't either. Yet here they were slowly devouring each other with a need stronger than base desire.
Jack moaned into Daniel's mouth as their tongues met and gently duelled. Daniel's strong hands were either side of Jack's face, holding him where he wanted him. Jack was powerless to resist, his arms were holding Daniel to him, gently stroking his back. Both of them feeling the desire that was electrified between them, that meshed their lower bodies together. Finally the need for oxygen broke them apart.
Daniel's pulse was racing, his voice breathy. "Don't you think for one minute that this gets you off the hook, Jack O'Neill!"
Jack looked stunned, making Daniel smile wickedly at him. Slowly Jack's lips broke into a shy smile. "I'm guess I'm just going to have to make that up to you, Daniel."
Daniel took Jack's hand and headed for the bedroom, the dull ache of longing for culmination of what they had now begun, driving him onwards. "Yousurebetcha," he said.
"Oh for crying out loud, will you stop quoting me!"
"What? You going to tell me to shut up now?"
"Not tell you, Spacemonkey. I'm not even going to ask you. I am just going to go right ahead and do it myself."
"Really? That's rather presumptuous of you after your boorish behaviour today."
"I was worried about you! You almost killed yourself! And my behaviour? I must tell you Daniel, your halo is looking a tad rusty these days."
"Oh so it's my fau....mmmm."
"MMMMMmm?"
"MMmmmmmm. God ! Jack!"
"Really. Well it looks like that altar wasn't the only thing in that temple today that was pressure sensitive."
"Urm, Jack? What are you doing?"
"I'm checking to see if you've got one of those glowly countdown dohickeys anywhere."
"Jack, you're an ass."
"So. Whatcha going to do about it Danny...Oh..oh ok yeah, that...works."
"Just shut up Jack."
~ The End ~
Author: Hathor
Feedback: ladyraistlin@hotmail.com
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Rating: R
Status: Complete
Category: Angst, First Time
Warning: Bad language
Spoilers: Bad language
Challenge Response
Date Uploaded: 2002-07-27 01:44:16
Archive: Area52, Alpha Gate
Special Notes:
Disclaimer: Sadly these characters are not mine, they belong to TPTB. But I like to play...
Author's Notes: Response to Alpha Gate Friday Night Fic Challenge #6. The challenge was "A little less conversation, a little more action." Many thanks go out to Michelle for her beta reading and suggestions. :)
Summary: A mistake on a mission causes a rise in tension between Jack and Daniel.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Pressure Sensitive ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"DUCK!" Daniel yelled as he half sprinted, half skidded around the corner of the corridor. Sam and Teal'c reacted by trying to cover themselves as Jack came barrelling around a moment later, wrapped his arms around Daniel and dived the two of them to the floor.
The explosion rocked the complex sending billows of hot dust down the maze of corridors and making the walls groan in protest. As the dust settled, Daniel coughed as his lungs became irritated, aware of Jack's weight pressing him into the floor.
"Getoffme..." he muttered. He felt half relieved and half strangely bereft when Jack rolled off him and onto the floor, the Colonel settling to stare upwards at the ceiling while he caught his breath. Daniel raised his face, took one look at the set of Jack's jaw and dropped his head down to thump onto his arms. Damnit, Jack was really pissed.
"Well, that's certainly one way to excavate the place," Sam said as she took Teal'c's proffered arm to help her to her feet. She smiled her thanks and looked over to her two prone team-mates.
"Indeed," Teal'c intoned. "This is not your usual finesse, DanielJackson." Daniel raised his head and looked up at them both with a dirt stained face.
"What happened to 'let's just have a look around'?" Sam enquired, ribbing Daniel lightly as she dusted herself down. Jack barked a sarcastic laugh and Daniel just groaned and sank his head back down onto his arms again.
It should have been such a simple mission consisting of a deserted planet with an abandoned temple whose walls were covered in Abydonian type script. With the added bonus of not a Gou'ald in sight. But heaven forbid it could be that easy! Daniel sighed deeply, trying to resist the urge to sneeze violently since it would only earn him a glare from Jack.
Jack rolled gracefully to his feet and grabbed Daniel by the arm, making the younger man scramble to his feet. "You and I are going to have a chat when we get back," he hissed into Daniel's ear. The archaeologist winced in response before shrugging out of Jack's touch.
Jack examined the rubble-blocked corridor and realised that they were never going to be able to break through the debris to see what was left standing, at least not without special equipment. Sweet. Sighing he motioned for the four of them to move out and back towards the Stargate. Well, this was going to make for a fun debriefing!
~~~~~~~~
General Hammond looked from Dr Jackson to Colonel O'Neill and back again, his amazement evident. "So, gentlemen, let me get this straight. You inadvertently BLEW UP the complex?"
"That's around about the long and the short of it General," Jack said crisply. Sam was trying desperately to keep a straight face and the usually stoic Jaffa was radiating quiet amusement. Daniel just looked miserable. Not only had all that knowledge been lost through his carelessness, but also he had almost got himself and Jack blown up in the process and nearly buried Sam and Teal'c alive. Not bad for a day's work.
The General sighed and decided to let them off the hook. "I am sure that all of us can learn the obvious lessons available from the outcome of this mission. Your reports are due on my desk by o-eight hundred tomorrow morning. Dismissed."
Daniel rose from his seat and began trudging his way back to his study. His depressed musings were broken a few yards from his door by the sudden clamping of Jack's hand around his right arm, propelling him forward. Jack herded Daniel into his study and then shut the door.
Daniel turned around, his temper getting the better of him. He was fed up of Jack treating him like a child. He was thirty-six years old and perfectly able to look after himself.
"Will you quit manhandling me Jack!"
"I will when you learn how to handle yourself!" came back an equally fuelled retort.
"It was a mistake, Jack. A damned mistake. I do make them on occasion you know."
Jack took two paces forward so that he crowded Daniel's personal space. Daniel wished he wouldn't do that, play the intimidation card of the big bad Colonel.
"I know you make mistakes, Daniel. Do you know why? It's because I'm forever having to pick up the goddamn pieces."
Daniel's eyes widened in shock and then darkened in a flare of anger. "That's bullshit Jack and you know it."
Jack's finger stabbed him in Daniel's breastbone, enunciating every word. "You almost got yourself killed!" Jack yelled. A strange part of Daniel's brain absently wondered how red a man's face could get before exploding. "You almost got us both killed!" Jack continued.
Daniel knocked Jack's finger away, his voice rising to match the other man's. "What do you want Jack? An apology written in blood? It was a fucking mistake! How was I to know that the altar was pressure sensitive and booby-trapped? I might be a genius but I'm not omnipotent."
"But you just had to go and find out!" Jack roared at him.
Anger tore through Daniel, his hands gesturing wildly as he spat, "That's because it's my goddamn job. Remember that Jack. My job. Finding out is what I do."
Jack tipped forward, his hands shoved into the pockets of his BDUs, his tone acidic. "You don't need to remind me Daniel, I can't forget because you never shut up going on about it."
"That's probably because you never listen, do you?" Unconsciously Daniel stepped up to Jack as he launched in with all metaphysical guns blazing, making Jack wonder whether he had crossed the line with his last comment. It seemed that Daniel certainly thought so. Fury and frustration were evident in the archaeologist's face. "So what am I to you Jack? Huh? Just an annoying voice in the background?"
"No!" Jack knew he had hurt Daniel with his comments but his anger was still too raw for him to retract any of them.
"Then what? A millstone around your neck? The poor civilian who doesn't know his ass from his Arabic!"
Jack's mouth dropped open as he realised he'd really fired Daniel up this time. But the younger man was still ploughing on. "If I am such a liability to you and the rest of team perhaps you would all be better off without me."
The threat in those words ignited something in Jack, making him lunge for Daniel. He pinned him against the desk, his hands clamped on the archaeologist's upper arms.
"You want to know what you are to me, Daniel?" Jack's voice was a low growl. Daniel blinked as he saw anger interlaced with what looked like desire in Jack's eyes. Daniel thought that he must be wrong, as usual. Jack was military and straight, just like him.
Jack's voice was lower than Daniel could ever remember, "Then I'll show you." Then suddenly Jack was kissing him roughly. There was nothing gentle or worshipping about the touch. It was claiming, possessive and anger driven. The sheer shock of the kiss, of feeling Jack's lips moving over his, numbed Daniel to the core. But his body seemed to have other ideas. His mouth opened under the incessant pressure from Jack's tongue as their hips came clashing together.
Suddenly Daniel's brain kicked in. How dare he? How could Jack come in here, yell at him, and then kiss him like that? Turning his world upside down in a moment. Complicating things, blurring the boundaries. Daniel shoved Jack hard, causing him to take a step back breaking the contact between.
"How dare you!" Daniel said, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.
To his defence, Jack looked stunned at what had just happened. Daniel didn't wait for the apology. "Get out," he said, voice rough with emotion. Jack internally winced at the words, still trying to work out what had just happened. Since when had he wanted to kiss Daniel like that? Long, hard and bruisingly?
Daniel turned his back on Jack and shuffled some papers on his desk, even though they were all blur as he tried to get his emotions under control. When he heard no movement from Jack, he looked over his shoulder.
"Daniel, we need..."
"I said get out."
Jack turned on his heel and left, slamming the door behind him echoing his confusion, frustration and downright terror. Daniel pulled his glasses off and sank down into his chair completely deflated. "Oh shit!" he muttered, this was now a whole different ball game.
~~~~~~~~
Jack was storming down the corridor, lost in a torrent of dark thoughts, when the dulcet tones of his 2IC reached his ears.
"Sir? Sir?" Sam said, jogging to catch up with him. He reluctantly slowed, trying not to grind his teeth in irritation at the unwelcome interruption.
"What can I do for you Carter?" he asked brusquely as she fell in beside him.
Sam looked back down the corridor and eyed Daniel's closed door with concern. "Is everything alright with Daniel?" Jack's glittering look made her take a couple of mental steps backward. Sam continued in a slightly softer tone. "You shouldn't be too hard on him sir, it was an accident after all. We all make them. Like on P3X-251."
Jack gave her a sharp look, his temper still not fully under control. He also hoped that it wasn't obvious to her that only a minute before he had been kissing their erudite team-mate. He could still taste Daniel in his mouth, and for some reason that angered him. "That wasn't my fault Carter. That was a case of a little less conversation..."
"And a little more action?" she finished for him. His mind gave him an uncalled for flashback to Daniel's study.
"I got us out of there in one piece. And that's beside the point," he snapped. "We are talking about Daniel's mistake here. Not me."
She frowned slightly, her loyalty to Daniel as a close friend causing her to speak up. "Permission to speak freely sir," she said stiffly. Jack stopped walking and sighed, waving his hand for her to go ahead. "What I want to know, sir, is why you hold Daniel to a higher standard then the rest of us? Are you harder on him than anyone else because he's a civilian? He's shown himself time and time again. Frankly sir, what the hell does he have to do to prove himself? You never used to treat him like this."
A treacherous image flashed through Jack's mind of just what Daniel could do to prove himself. He didn't know whether to hate himself or Daniel for it. Jack took one look at Carter and snarled. "Dismissed Major," and then stalked off down the corridor to wrestle with his own demons.
~~~~~~~~
Daniel had escaped from the mountain as soon as he had hit send on his report to the General. He needed time out, away from Jack, to let the anger subside and to process what had happened earlier on in the day. The two of them obviously had issues that went well beyond their fraying friendship. Daniel didn't know but he guessed he wasn't the only one who had been shocked by today's little foray into the realm of homosexuality. He also guessed that he was probably handling it slightly better than Jack.
Daniel pulled on his old jeans and a cream sweater and padded barefoot into the living room and poured himself a stiff drink. He watched the ice cubes dance around in the crystal glass and then knocked the drink back in one go. The scotch burned its way down his throat and fired into his stomach. It reminded him of Jack's kiss. Painful, yet strangely welcome in a masochistic kind of way.
The doorbell sounded causing him to look up sharply. He was only expecting one person to call on him tonight. Opening the door, Daniel felt an echo of his former anger at the sight of a somewhat agitated Jack outside.
"Ah Daniel," Jack flushed slightly, "We need to talk."
"Yathink?" came the sarcastic reply. Jack opened his mouth but then bit back his retort with monumental effort. The mimicry was somewhat deserved; he'd used that phrase on Daniel too often in the past few months.
Jack tried again. "Can I come in?"
Daniel shrugged and retreated back into his apartment, leaving Jack to find his own way in. Jack took a moment to compose his thoughts, his rehearsed speech running through his head, as he unlaced his shoes and hung up his leather jacket.
As he entered the living room he saw Daniel was sitting on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees, watching Jack intently before indicating for him to take the seat at the other end of the couch.
"You wanted to talk Jack, so let's talk."
Jack settled, took a deep breath and then looked at Daniel. "Did you enjoy it?" The words tumbled out betraying Jack's nerves. Daniel blinked rapidly. The question had not been the one he had expected. He felt his cheeks flush.
"I'm not sure", he replied honestly after a few moments. "It was a bit of a shock, Jack. It wasn't exactly a gentle way to announce you had feelings for me."
Jack's eyebrows shot up. "I have feelings for you?" he said incredulously.
Daniel blinked at him and his gaze slid to the wall for a moment before returning back to Jack. "Of course you do," he said frowning. "Why else would you have kissed me?"
They lapsed into silence with the question hanging between them. After a few moments of pulling at the fabric on the arm of the chair, Jack spoke again.
"Well, how was I to know I had feelings for you?" he said defensively.
"So you do!" Daniel exclaimed. Jack gave him a dark look. "And what? And that's my fault too?" Daniel said with slightly more venom than necessary.
"Yes! No! NO!" Jack scrubbed his face with hands. "I don't know. I don't have all the answers, Daniel."
"Neither do I Jack. I'm still angry with you." The younger man paused before continuing. "Although perhaps now I can understand your reaction a little more."
Jack looked at him through his fingers and groaned. "But still, you had no right to do what you did," Daniel said admonishingly.
"What kiss you?"
"No. Ripping me another for a simple mistake."
"So I did have a right to kiss you?"
"That's not what I said."
"But you implied it."
"And you're avoiding the issue!"
Daniel sighed and rose to pour himself another scotch, lifting a clean glass off the shelf in silent invitation to Jack, who nodded gratefully. When Daniel handed him the glass, Jack's hand curled around his wrist.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, pulling Daniel down to sit next to him. "I'll understand if you want to report me."
"What do you mean report you?" Daniel asked quietly, trying to sound calmer than he felt. He might be angry with his friend but not angry enough to destroy his career and potentially run the risk of Jack being sent to jail.
"You're not going to?" Jack asked.
"No!" was the emphatic response. "Jesus Jack, what kind of person do you think I am?" he said, sadness lacing his speech. He watched the relief sweep over Jack as the older man closed his eyes, resting his head on the back of the couch for a moment. He laid a hand on Daniel's leg.
"Thank you." Jack said sincerely before realising where his hand was. He snatched it back as if it were on fire.
Daniel got up and walked to the end of room to stare out of the window, nursing his drink, trying to work out when it was that it all started to go wrong. He hadn't realised how long he had been standing there until Jack's voice sounded just behind him.
"What's wrong with us Danny?" he said softly. "Why is it all falling apart?"
"I don't know Jack," he replied gently, his brow wrinkling into a frown as he looked down at the now empty glass. He could sense the other man moving closer to him.
"I want to touch you again, Daniel." Jack whispered, his voice low in Daniel's ear. "So help me god."
The younger man's hand, the one holding the scotch glass, began to shake slightly as the admission sent shivers down his spine combined with the effect of two shots of scotch. When he heard no reply, Jack's hand slid around Daniel's waist, pulling him closer. The glass slipped out of Daniel's hand, to bounce harmlessly onto the thick rug beneath his feet.
"Daniel, I'm sorry for what I said today," Jack said, murmuring the words into the younger man's neck. "But I'm not sorry for what I did. I want..." Jack's breath caught in his throat. "I want to show you..." he said gruffly.
He turned Daniel in his arms, noticing that the archaeologist was strung taut, whether with anger or expectation, Jack didn't know. Daniel's gaze was fixed on a bit of fluff on Jack's shirt, avoiding the smouldering brown eyes that were searching his face.
"Daniel?" came the soft question, this time asking for permission.
Slowly Daniel raised his eyes to Jack's, his hand trembling slightly as it wrapped around Jack's bicep. Desire warred with fear in his blue eyes. Daniel was surprised at how much he wanted to feel Jack's mouth on his again. To taste him once more.
Jack dipped his head, still watching Daniel's face for a sign to stop.
"You bastard!" Daniel whispered vehemently, before his other hand reached up and pulled on Jack's neck bringing the two of them together.
Their earlier kiss had been brutal and one sided, but this one was more passionate and sharing. Slow exploration rather than punishing possession. Everything that they could not vocalise they tried to convey in slow exploratory caresses.
Fire was pulsing through Jack's veins as he tried to come to terms with the fact that kissing Daniel was a powerful experience that stole the breath from his body. He had never thought of himself as being the kind of guy that liked other guys and he knew Daniel wasn't either. Yet here they were slowly devouring each other with a need stronger than base desire.
Jack moaned into Daniel's mouth as their tongues met and gently duelled. Daniel's strong hands were either side of Jack's face, holding him where he wanted him. Jack was powerless to resist, his arms were holding Daniel to him, gently stroking his back. Both of them feeling the desire that was electrified between them, that meshed their lower bodies together. Finally the need for oxygen broke them apart.
Daniel's pulse was racing, his voice breathy. "Don't you think for one minute that this gets you off the hook, Jack O'Neill!"
Jack looked stunned, making Daniel smile wickedly at him. Slowly Jack's lips broke into a shy smile. "I'm guess I'm just going to have to make that up to you, Daniel."
Daniel took Jack's hand and headed for the bedroom, the dull ache of longing for culmination of what they had now begun, driving him onwards. "Yousurebetcha," he said.
"Oh for crying out loud, will you stop quoting me!"
"What? You going to tell me to shut up now?"
"Not tell you, Spacemonkey. I'm not even going to ask you. I am just going to go right ahead and do it myself."
"Really? That's rather presumptuous of you after your boorish behaviour today."
"I was worried about you! You almost killed yourself! And my behaviour? I must tell you Daniel, your halo is looking a tad rusty these days."
"Oh so it's my fau....mmmm."
"MMMMMmm?"
"MMmmmmmm. God ! Jack!"
"Really. Well it looks like that altar wasn't the only thing in that temple today that was pressure sensitive."
"Urm, Jack? What are you doing?"
"I'm checking to see if you've got one of those glowly countdown dohickeys anywhere."
"Jack, you're an ass."
"So. Whatcha going to do about it Danny...Oh..oh ok yeah, that...works."
"Just shut up Jack."
~ The End ~